WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit #4
When Kamala Khan, the hero that became known to the world as Ms. Marvel, was first introduced to Marvel Comics she was a superhero-obsessed nerd with a particular passion for Captain Marvel, the hero who would be her main inspiration after her abilities manifested following her terrigenesis transformation. Kamala has often been defined by her relationship to Carol Danvers, and in a new series, an alternate future is explored where she is fully independent of Captain Marvel's image, and more powerful than ever.
When Kamala Khan first manifested her "embiggen" powers she initially used it to shapeshift, becoming a Carol Danvers doppelgänger and operating as an imposter Captain Marvel. Even though Ms. Marvel has come a long way since her first debut in G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel (2014), and has become an important representation in comics for marginalized communities as Marvel's first Pakistani American Muslim hero, she is still often compared to Captain Marvel and forced to hold herself to the same standards. Kamala Khan struggled to find her identity as a superhero because her view on heroes was so tied up in her idolization of Carol Danvers, and she continues to use a moniker and costume that directly references Captain Marvel's specific aesthetics and vibes.
Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit #4 - written by best-selling author Samira Ahmed (Love, Hate & Other Filters, Internment) with art by Andres Genolet (Runaways, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Triona Farrell (Shang-Chi, Avengers Forever) - continues to detail a massive shift in Kamala's lore, as the reader finds out more about how Ms. Marvel's powers truly work. This issue shows the backstory of Kamala's own doppelgänger Qarin, a young woman from a different world, whose universe has its own Kamala Khan, a hero known as Marvel-Ji. Marvel-Ji is a world-renowned hero who has helped to solve the climate and energy crisis in her world and usher in an era of peace and prosperity while wearing an outfit that marks her as the independent and wholly unique hero that she is.
Marvel-Ji's presence is reminiscent of times that the 616-Kamala has really leaned into her own unique perspective and values, like in her recent battle against Roxxon, or when she helped Carol Danvers find her purpose again as a hero after a series of setbacks. What sets Marvel-Ji apart from Ms. Marvel though is primarily her outfit, which is a gorgeous flowing shirt and skirt, still with her signature scarf and cuffs. While the costume change might seem small, it truly is indicative of a major shift in Marvel-Ji's apparent acceptance of her status as a bona fide hero in her own right, one who is very confident in her abilities and presentation and has outgrown much of the "imposter syndrome" that Kamala still seems to struggle with. A massive part of Ms. Marvel's appeal and popularity is her strong ethnic and religious identity as a proud Pakistani American Muslim, and continuing to separate her from Carol Danvers will only give writers more opportunities to explore her personality and identity as her own diverse person.
What is cool about this vision of a future Kamala is that it is just that, a vision of a future, one which Ms. Marvel could 100% move towards in her coming publication. While the MCU's Ms. Marvel tv show seems to be positioning her as a fan of Captain Marvel just like in the comics, hopefully, they will take their cues from newer Ms. Marvel comics like Beyond the Limit, which are exploring have truly impactful Kamala could be as an independent representation of marginalized communities within the world of superheroes. Make sure to check out Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit #4 by Marvel Comics to see the alternate future version of Kamala Khan who has clearly worked hard to create her own persona entirely separate from that of her hero Captain Marvel.